Overhead equipment control apparatus for operating rooms

ABSTRACT

An overhead multipurpose equipment control apparatus for surgical operating rooms in which an overhead stationary housing supported from a ceiling structure includes a vertically adjustable control member provided with a multisection laterally movable instrument supporting means, said overhead housing also supporting a relatively movable service or auxiliary housing, said housings and said laterally movable instrument arm including control means whereby a surgeon and his assistants may conveniently control various selected equipment and instruments while in a zone surrounding a surgical table, the zone being free from usual stands, tables, and operating room equipment normally clustered about an operating table.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Fred K. Storm [54] OVERHEADEQUIPMENT CONTROL APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ROOMS 10 Claims, 23 DrawingFigs.

[52] US. Cl 248/333, l37/355.l6; 312/247 [51] Int. Cl A6lb 19/00 [50]Field of Search 248/323,

2,802,094 8/1957 Gl0SZ.. 248/327X 3,032,057 5/1962 Mays 312/247x3,213,877 10/1965 Mayetal. 312/247x 3,250,583 5/1966 Phillips 312/2093,431,937 3/1969 Hettlingeretal. l37/355.l6

Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier Attorney-Miketta, Glenny, Poms and SmithABSTRACT: An overhead multipurpose equipment control apparatus forsurgical operating rooms in which an overhead stationary housingsupported from a ceiling structure includes a vertically adjustablecontrol member provided with a multisection laterally movable instrumentsupporting means, said overhead housing also supporting a relativelymovable service or auxiliary housing, said housings and said laterallymovable instrument arm including control means whereby a surgeon and hisassistants may conveniently control various selected equipment andinstruments while in a zone surrounding a surgical table, the zone beingfree from usual stands, tables, and operating room equipment normallyclustered about an operating table.

PATENTED JAN 1 9197! saw 3 or 7 W? .MSM e L 5 a m m Wm G Am? OVERHEADEQUIPMENT CONTROL APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ROOMS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In hospital operating rooms numeroustypes of equipment andinstruments are used in connection with operating on a patient. Normallysuch equipment is located adjacent to the operating table and suchtables, trays and the like are often in the way of and obstruct freemovement of doctors, nurses and other participants during an operation.In prior proposed arrangements of operating rooms such operating roomequip ment either required the presence of a person adjacent thesurgical table or required the movement of an assistant to an adjacentwall to actuate the equipment through a remote control panel. It isdesirable to provide for control equipment which is normally but of theway of doctors and assistants surrounding an operating table so thattheir free movement is not interfered with and at the same time provideconvenient accessible readily operated control panels adapted to actuatevarious types of equipment for precise positioning in desiredrelationship with respect to a patient.

Some prior proposed equipment control apparatus have included a housingsupported from a ceiling structure and positioned in overhead spacedrelation to a surgicaltable. Such prior proposed constructions haveincluded fluid or-hydraulic lines associated with the equipment forraising and lowering a control or column member which supports theinstrument arm arrangement. Such fluid actuated control equipmentrequired considerable redesign and modification of a surgical room andfluid actuated equipment was preferably planned for and installed duringconstruction of a surgical room because of size and weightofequipmentinvolved. r

The present invention contemplates a novel overhead equipment controlapparatus which may be readily installed in a new operating roomconstruction as well as old constructions. Thus, this overhead equipmentmay be installed, arranged and operated in existing surgical roomswithout substantial reconstruction or modification of the operatingroom. The present invention contemplates, asv an example, a novelconstruction which affords rapid raising and lowering of a controlcolumn which may support a microscope, camera, operating lights, strobelight and the like; The control means pro ided in the housingarrangement permits actuation of the equipment with respect toselectively positioning thereof by means of easily reached controlpanels having well known switch means. A stationary control housingcontemplated by the present invention may be equipped with a powersupply unit, switches for raising and lowering the column at a rapid orslow rate, intensity control for light sources, main power switches, andreceptacles for remote control of a camera, foot or hand switch. Anauxiliary or service housing may include electrical receptacles forconnectionto a television camera and other equipment requiringelectrical power as well as switches for the various light sourcesemployed in an operating room. The control member which is adapted to beraised and lowered with respect to the stationary housing may includeswitch means for fine focusing of a microscope carried at the end of theinstrument support arm and receptacles for strobe light movie or stillcameras and a microscope light.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide anoverhead equipment control apparatus for use in m operating room whichis adapted to supply a variety of power actuated instrument controlmeans in a convenient manner to operating personnel and'withoutobstructing or interfering with access to a surgical table and a patientthereon.

An object of the present invention is to disclose and provide anoverhead equipment control apparatus wherein a support column or controlmeans is readily vertically positioned with respect to a surgical table.

Another object of the invention is to disclose and provide an overheadequipment control apparatus for an operating room wherein a verticallymovable control member is power driven by a novel driving means andwherein safety means is incorporated in the driving means so thatdownward movement of the control means will be stopped under preselectedconditrons.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide equipmentfor use in an operating room wherein power drive means for suchequipment is provided with a safety lock means operable upon failure ofcertain components of the driving system.

A still further object of the present invention is to disclose andprovide an overhead equipment control apparatus adapted to carrymultiple electrical or power control lines in such a manner that suchlines are enclosed and maintained against damage resulting from movementof certain parts of the equipment.

A specific object of the invention is to disclose and provide overheadcontrol apparatus which encloses and furnishes built-in power servicesand switching in such a manner that control receptacles and switches arepositioned in an overhead area convenient to operating personnel andwithout the presence of a multitude of cables, outlets, and the like inan area normally occupied by operating personnel about a surgical tableor in a remote generally inaccessible area.

The invention contemplates generally an overhead apparatus adapted to bereadily supported from a mounting means attached to an overhead ceilingstructure and wherein all power cables and electrical lines leading toreceptacles for power actuation of equipment are contained within ahousing, wherein electrical drive means for raising and lowering certaincomponents of the control equipment may be readily removed as a unit forservice and maintenance, and wherein vertical adjustment of componentsof the equipment may be readily electrically controlled.

Another object of the invention is to provide equipment controlapparatus for an operating roomwherein the location of the apparatusfacilitates maintenance of a sterile condition in a zone around andabove an operating table.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyapparent from the following description of the drawings in which anexemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an overheadapparatus embodying the present invention and showing its relationshipto a surgical table and chair.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view taken from the left of FIG. 1with the side panel wall removed and with the service housing retracted.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken in the vertical plane in dicated byline III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken in the vertical plane indicated by theline IV-IV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the column member in downposition.

FIG. 6 is a view taken in the plane similar to FIG. 3 and showing thecolumn member and service housing in down position.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the service housingand column member in down position.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken in the horizontalplane indicated by line VIIIV,III of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken in the verticalplane indicated by line IX-IX of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, showing rollermounting means for a carriage on the column shaft.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the verticalplane indicated by line XI-XI of FIG. 5 showing the feed screw means indriving engagement for raising and lowering the column member.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 11 showing thefeed screw means in safety release position to stop downward movement ofthe column member.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view taken in theplane indicated by line XIII-XIII of FIG. 2.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in theplane indicated byline XIV-XIV of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in theplane indicated byline XV-XV of FIG. 8.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken in the planeindicated by line XVI-XVI of FIG. 6.

FIG. 17 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken in the planeindicated byline XVII-XVII of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged exploded view of a dust seal between the columnhousing and member as seen in FIG. 19.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken in the verticalplane indicated byline XIX-XIX of FIG. 3.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken in the planeindicated by line XX-XX of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged perspective view of the column member and armconnection shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 is a vertical sectional view taken in a plane similar to FIG. 19and showing a modified construction for use of instrument trays.

FIG. 23 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken in the planeindicated by line XXIII-XXIII of FIG. 22.

In the drawings an overhead equipment control apparatus embodying thisinvention is generally indicated at and may comprise a dependingstationary hollow column or housing means 31, an auxiliary servicemodule or housing means 32 movable relative to the stationary housing, avertically reciprocally movable column or control member 33 supportedfrom the stationary housing, and suitable pivotally interconnectedhorizontally extending instrument support means 34 for convenient andfacile positioning of selected equipment or instruments with respect toa patient on a surgical table positioned beneath the apparatus and'withrespect to a surgical chair in which a doctor performing a surgicaloperation may be seated. As shown in FIG. 1 a control panel 36 onhousing means 31 may include pushbutton pressure switches associatedwith a power supply carried by housing 31 and adapted to selectivelyactuate various equipment, for example. providing vertical adjustment ofcolumn member 33 at either rapid or slow speeds, rotating a microscopesupport arm, providing variable intensity illumination for themicroscope lamp power supply, provision for operating and makingnecessary adjustments for a TV camera, a still camera, a strobe light, amicrophone and other like equipment. The control panel 36 is connectedto cables, some of which are fed through control member 33 andinstrument support means 34 to the particular instrument being employed.

The auxiliary housing means 32 is associated with stationary housingmeans 31 in such a manner that when control member 33 is lowered,auxiliary housing 32 descends a selected distance to provide convenientaccess to control panel 37 carried thereon. The control panel 37 isconnected with a power source (not shown) which may be carried byauxiliary housing means 31. Control panel 37 may provide suitableoutlets and button-type control means for remotely located cautery,diathermy, power erisiphake and cryosurgical equipment. It may alsoinclude control means for television cameras, microphones,intercommunication channels and remote control lights and outlets forother services. It will be understood that the particular controls andthe selected power actuated equipment associated with the apparatus ofthis invention may vary and the associated power supply and controlcircuits are wellknown and do not form part of the present invention.Such controls may be operated by assistants or by the doctor, and insome instances, a control panel for certain instruments may be mountedon instrument support means 34.

The stationary or main housing 31 may be supported from an overheadsupport structure 40 such as a ceiling or ceiling beam by means ofdepending hanger bolts 41 carrying a housing mounting plate 42. In FIG.1, apparatus 30 extends above a suitably supported drop ceiling 43.

In FIGS. 2-4 apparatus 30 is illustrated with auxiliary housing means 32in retracted or up position. Housing means 31 may comprise a verticallyextending elongated rectangular hollow housing having a front wall 45,back wall 46 and top and bottom walls 47 and 48, respectively. Sidewall49 is adjacent to and may form with a sidewall 50 a common wall betweena parallel stationary housing extension 51 of elongated verticalrectangular form shorterthan housing 31 and having a front wall 52, aback wall 53 coplanar with back wall 46, a top wall 54 and a bottomopening 55 through which auxiliary housing means 32 extends. The leftside of stationary housing means 31 may be open as best seen in FIG. 2or may be furnished with a vertical cover plate 44 not shown in FIG. 2but shown in FIG. 8.

Auxiliary housing means 32 may comprise a hollow, elongated, rectangularhousing adapted to be vertically slidably guided within the housingextension 51. Auxiliary housing 32 may comprise a front wall '56approximately coplanar with front wall 45, a back wall 57, a bottom wall58 and a top opening 59. Sidewall 60 may move along wall 51a of housingextension 51 and the opposite sidewall 61 may be spaced from wall 50 ofthe housing extension for association therewith as hereafter described.

Within stationary housing means 31 is supported the column or controlmember 33 for adjustable vertical movement. Column member 33 maycomprise a hollow cylindrical member having a length approximately thelength of the stationary housing means 31. Column member 33 extendsthrough a suitable port in bottom wall 48 of housing means 31.

Means for moving column member 33 to raise' or lower the instrumentsupport arm 34 may comprise a carriage means 65 (FIG. 9) comprising topand bottom walls 66 and 67, respectively, each being provided withidentical clamp means 68including bolts 69 for receiving column member33 and for tight frictional clamping engagement therewith for fixedlyconnecting carriage 65 to the column member 33. Plates 66 and 67 areinterconnected by vertical carriage plates 70 and 71. Each top andbottom plate 66 and 67 may carry a set of four angularly spaced (at 90)rollers 73 for rolling engagement with a fixed cylindrical guide rod 74extending between top and bottom walls 47 and 48 of stationary housing31 and having an axis lying parallel to the axis of control member 33.Each roller 73 may be supported from a yoke 75 having a central pin 75areceived and secured within a bore 76 provided in the associated plate66 or 67. In at least two rollers of each set yoke 75 supports aneccentric pin 77 (FIG. 10), having an eccentric central portion 78 uponwhich roller 73 is carried whereby adjustment of the axis of roller 73towards and away from the surface of the guide rod 74 may be readilyadjusted by turning head 79 on pin 77. Set screws 80 provided in yokearms of yoke 75 hold pin 77 in its desired adjusted relationship withrespect to rod 74.

Means for preventing rotative movement of carriage 65 about guide rod 74may comprise a rectangular section elongated guide track 82, oppositesides of which are engaged by rollers 83 carried by plate 70. One ofrollers 83 may be provided with a similar eccentric bushing or pinadjustment as disclosed in FIG. 10 so as to precisely adjust the spacebetween the axes of the pair of rollers 83 for desired rollingengagement with guide track 82.-

Means for driving carriage means 65 so as to raise and lower controlmember 33 may comprise a threaded feed screw 86 (FIG. 11) extending amajor portion of the length of the stationary housing 31 and having anaxis parallel to guide rod 74 and column member 33. Feed screw 86 passesthrough spaced ports 87 provided in spaced parallel laterally projectinglugs 88 fixed to a mounting plate 89 carried by plate 71 of carriagemeans 65. The threaded portion of feed screw 86 terminates adjacent itsbottom end portion 90 (FIG. 14) thereof which may be mounted in suitablebearing means 91 carried in a bearing block 92 supported on a thrustplate 93 supported on top of vertical posts 94. Feed screw end portion90 carries a pair of gears 95 driven through a pair of internal toothedbelts 96 by a pair of tandem arranged pinion gears 97 fixed to a shaft98 of a suitable electric motor means 99. Supported on upper thrustplate 93 and positioned by bearing block 92 is an upwardly extendingchannel section cover member 101 which extends to just below top wall 47of the stationary housing and supports a top bearing block 102 (FIG. 3)for carrying or mounting the top end of feed screw 86.

Secured to channel section cover member 101 and spaced from the bottomthereof may be a pair of fixed blocks 104 (FIG. 2) through which mayextend long securement rods 105 for threaded engagement at their topends at 106 with threaded anchor sockets 107 fixed to top wall 47 and tomounting plate 42. Intermediate the-ends of support rods 105 may beguide blocks 108 secured to sidewalls of cover member 101 whereby uponfirst unfastening bolts 110 (FIG. 8) which secure mounting plate 89 towall 71 and then releasing securement rods 105 together with the boltsupon which the motor 99 is secured to the bottom wall 48 of the housing,the entire feed screw, motor, and gear assembly may be removed fromstationary housing 31 for necessary maintenance and service.

Rotationof the feed screw 86 will cause raising and lowering of carriagemeans 65 by a normally nonrotatable nut means 112 (FIGS. 11, 12)positioned between the laterally extending lugs 88 on carriage means 65.Nonrotatable nut means 112 comprises a ported boss or base member 113received within the lower portion of a cylindrical skirt 114 provided onan upper nut cap 115 which may be fixed by set screws 1 16 to a threadednut element 1 17 having threaded engagement as at 118 with feed screw86. Cap 115 includes a downwardly and inwardly flared recessed topsurface 120 interrupted by radially extending slots 121 and providing aseat for a tapered downwardly facing complementary surface 122 of anannular resilient thrust ring 123 having a top edge face normally inthrust pressure engagement at 124 against top lateral lug 88. Below nutelement 117, the base member 113 carries an antifriction assemblycomprising a pair of spaced races 126 with suitably caged rollers 127therebetween arranged with their axes extending along radians from theaxis'of feed screw 86. The bottom race 126 is carried on the top edgeface of the base member 1 13. The top race 126 is normally spaced belowthe bottom edge face of nut element 1 17 as at 128.

In normal operation the weight of the carriage 65 and the column member33 together with the instrument positioning arm 34 will cause the upperlug to bear in pressure engagement against resilient member 123 and tothus hold the cap 115 and its fixed nut element 117 in releasablenonrotatable relationship to the feed screw 86. As feed screw 86 isrotated nut element 117 will axially move along the feed screw 86 in theselected direction and cause similar movement of carriage 65 and columnmember 33.

It will be apparent that depending upon the resilient characteristics ofthe resilient member 123 in order to provide the necessary nonrotatablerelationship between the cap 115 and the lug portion 88 that uponselected relief or release of such pressure engagement as by imposing anupwardly directed force against the lower end of the control member 33that the lug 88 will move away from the resilient member 123 as shown inFIG. 12 at space 130. When space 130 is so provided by a suitableupwardly directed force the nonrotatable nut element ll! will traveldownwardly relative to feed screw 86 for pressure engagement against thetop race 126 of roller bearings 127 and the normally nonrotatable nutelement 117 will be thus permitted to rotate freely with the feed screw86. Relative axial movement of the carriage with respect to feed screw86 is thus prevented and further downward movement of column 33 with itsassociated accessories is stopped. Thus, predetermined pressure forcesacting against a patients body or other means located beneath theapparatus will cause prevention of further downward movement andpossible crushing or damage to the body.

Relative movement between the auxiliary housing 32 and stationaryhousing 31 is best described with reference to FIGS.

2-9 inclusive. It will be noted that wall 50 and its correspondingcommon wall 49 are provided with aligned vertically extending slots 133which vertically slidablyreceive a horizontally extending pin 134 (FIG.9) which has an end portion resting upon a vertically adjustable bolt135 carried in threaded engagement on a laterally extending lug 136secured to carriage means 65 as at 137. The opposite end of pin 134 issecured to a cross bar 139 (FIGS. 3, 4) fixed to the upper portion ofwall 61 of the auxiliary housing 32. Spaced cross bars 139 slidablyreceive a pair of parallel spaced fixed vertical guide rods 141, theupper ends and a central portion of which may be supported by spacerblocks140 (FIG. 3) secured to wall 50 as at 143. A protective plate 144is supported by spacer blocks 140 spaced therebelow to maintain spacebetween wall 61 and plate 144 free and clear of cables and otherequipment lines.

It will be apparent from FIG. 3 thatwhen column member 33 and carriagemeans 65 are in up position that auxiliary housing 32 is also in upposition and'that pin 134 is at the top of slot 133. As the columnmember 33 is lowered downwardly by means of feed screw 86, nonrotatablenut means 112, and carriage means 65, the auxiliary housing 32 will beguided downwardly, under gravitational forces, within the stationaryhousing extension 51 until carriage means 65 reaches a position at whichthe auxiliary housing and the stationary housing are in wedginginterlocked relation as later described. Downward movement of auxiliaryhousing 32 is thus stopped and carriage means 65 and column member 33may progress further downwardly as indicated in FIG. 6. Likewise whenauxiliary housing 32 is in down position it will be raised to its upposition by contact of adjustment bolt 135 with pin 134 near the bottomedge of slot 133 so as to lift the auxiliary housing 32 as the carriageprogresses upwardly at the upper portion of its travel.

Means for stabilizing and preventing vibration of auxiliary housing 32in its down position with a substantial portion thereof extending belowthe stationary housing extension 51 may comprise a pair of horizontallyspaced cleats secured along bottom edge of wall 50. The pair of spacedcleats 150 may be provided with opposed downwardly directed convergingedge faces 151 of inverted V-configuration as indicated at 152 (FIG.17). Wall 61 of auxiliary housing means 32 carries at a position justbelow the bottom of slot 133, a horizontally extending wedge member 153provided with converging end faces 154 having V-section configuration asindicated at 155 complementary to V-section 152. When auxiliary housing32 reaches its lowermost position, horizontal member 153 will be movedinto wedge engagement with cleats 150 and will wedgingly interlock theauxiliary housing with the housing extension in tight nonvibratingstable relationship.

Means for providing a dust or dirt seal to permit relative verticalmovement of control member 33 through the port in the bottom wall 48 ofthe stationary housing is generally illuswaited in FIG. 18 and maycomprise a ported pad of suitable felt or synthetic resilient materialseated on the top surface of bottom wall 48 and having sealingengagement at 161 with the outer surface of the cylindrical controlmember 33. A retainer plate 162 may be provided with an upstandingflange 163 adapted to be secured in suitable manner to a lower basemember supporting guide rod 74.

Means for locking the carriage and control member driving means againstmovement in the event pulley belts 96 should become defective,inoperative or break, may comprise a lock arm (FIG. 8) pivotally mountedat 171 from the frame of motor means 99 and biased by a coil spring 171ain the direction of belts 96. Lock arm 170 carries belt engaging rollers172 on opposite sides thereof for engagement with top and bottom belts96 between the pinion gear 97 and gear 95 (FIG. 13). Rollers 172 havebiased pressure engagement against belts 96 and normally maintain saidbelts in desired tension and serve as idle rollers. In the event bothbelts 96 break or for some other reason loose their driving engagementwith gears 95 the rollers 172 move inwardly toward gears 95 so thatcorner 174 of lock arm 170 will be urged into a tooth recess on each orone of gears 95 as indicated at 175 and thereby stop rotation of feedscrew 86 and vertical movement of control member 33.

The apparatus of the present invention also includes means for housingvarious power and control cables employed within the apparatus andwithin instrument support arm 34 so that the control cables will notbecome tangled nor become twisted and result in power or controlfailure. Means to limit rotation of instrument support arm 34 toslightly less than 360 is shown in FIGS. 19-21. In FIG. 19 arm portion180 may carry an upwardly facing socket member 181 having a circularrecess 182 receiving the bottom end of column 33. A port 183 in socket181 is aligned with a port 184 in arm portion 180 and said ports areprovided with keyways 185 which receive a key 186 carried by a tubularsleeve 187 coaxial 'with member 33 and welded to arm portion 180 and isprovided with a removable plate 188. Cable openings 189 permit passageof instrument control lines 190 from arm portion 180 to control member33. Tubular member 187 has a top end which extends into a bushing 191carried by a fixed elongated sleeve insert 192 provided in the lowerportion of control member 33. Insert 192 carries a downwardly projectinglug 193 arranged to abut the upper portion of key 186 as at 194. Theupper portion of tubular member 187 is provided with a bushing 196carried in insert sleeve 192. A cap 197 may partially close the top ofsleeve 187 and is provided with an axial opening 198 for axial guidingof control lines 190. It willthus be apparent that arm portion 180 maybe swung through approximately slightly less than 360 and that the cablecontrol lines 190 are so guided and protected that undue twistingthereof will be avoided. A securement bolt 200 having a wing-type head201 may be threaded in the socket member 181 for pressure engagement at202 to hold the instrument arm 34 in selected. position with respect tocontrol member 33.

As best seen in FIG. 22, tubular sleeve 187 also may support therewithinin offset coaxial relation to control lines 190 a vertically extendingsupport rod 210 carried in suitable guide sleeve bearings 211 forpermitting facile manual raising and lowering of rod 210. A wing-typeheaded bolt 213 having threaded engagement with a fitting 214 carried bythe arm portion 180 may extend through sleeve member 187 for pressureengagement at 215 against the rod 210.

The lower end of rod 210 may carry a suitable fitting 217 from which mayhorizontally extend a suitable tray support rod 218, said rod beinglongitudinally adjustable in fitting 217 and fixed by a wing-headed typesecurement bolt 219 similar to bolt 213. As shown in FIG. 1 a tray 220supported at the end of rod 218 may be readily positioned above apatient and within convenient reach of a surgeon or his assistant.

Control lines 190 may extend upwardly through the column 33 to its topand may then be turned downwardly in stationary housing 31 and securedagainst one side of carriage means 65 by a suitable clip 230. Lines 190may extend downwardly for a distance greater than the length of carriagemeans 65 and may be received within a pair of overlapping opposedchannel sections 231 and 232 and secured by another clip 233 to the topportion of channel section 231. Thus during relative movement ofcarriage means 65 and housing 31 cable lines 190 will be retained withinsuitable protective channel section members which maintain the lines inuntangled relation. Cables associated with the auxiliary housing 32 maybe enclosed in conduit secured by a suitable ported bracket 235 carriedon plate 144.

In use of the above described apparatus 30 it will be apparent that uponlowering of control member 33 by actuation of selected switches that ascarriage means 65 moves the control member downwardly the relativelymovable auxiliary or service housing 32 will also be caused to belowered a preselected distance to effect the wedging interlock betweenthe housings as above described. Such lowering of the service modulehousing 32 positions the several control panels carried thereby adjacentthe bottom thereof within convenient reach of operating personnel. At adesired height above the surgical table the control member 33 may bestopped and the instrument support arm means 34 may be laterally swungand positioned as desired by loosening and tightening of the severalwing bolts at the several pivotally connected sections of the instrumentsupport arm means. it will be understood that the control means mayinclude switches for power actuation of the surgical table to raise andlower the surgical table to patient receiving position and then to otherdesired positions for examination and operation. Since the controlmember 33 may be positioned directly above a patient's body, the controlap paratus includes safety means above described whereby downwardmovement of the control member 33 is arrested upon selected noninjuriouspressure contact with a body or member therebeneath. The instrumentsupport arm 34 may be particularly designed for support of a microscopewhich is adapted to be electrically powered so that it may be readilyfocused, positioned, light intensity varied, and various otheradjustments may be conveniently and readily made either by the operatingsurgeon or by his assistant.

it will be understood that the embodiment of the invention describedabove may be modified and varied in construction and all suchmodifications and changes coming within the scope of the appended claimsare embraced thereby.

We claim:

1. In an overhead equipment control system for use in surgical operatingrooms. the combination of:'

a stationary control housing adapted to be suspended from an overheadstructure;

a vertically movable auxiliary housing alongside said stationary housingand adapted to support selected instrument control means;

a vertically movable column member carried within the stationary housingand adapted to support selected instru ments;

means for moving said column member including fixed guide means on saidstationary housing, a carriage movable along said guide means andconnected with said column member;

means releaseably connecting said auxiliary housing with said carriagefor selected relative movement of said auxiliary housing with respect tosaid stationary housing;

drive means for said carriage including a feed screw carried by saidstationary housing;

a normally nonrotatable nut engaging said feed screw and connected withsaid carriage; and

motor means carried by the stationary housing for driving said feedscrew.

2. A system as stated in claim 1 including means between said verticallymovable auxiliary housing and said stationary housing for holding saidauxiliary housing in one position thereof in nonvibratable relationshipto said stationary housing.

3. A system as stated in claim 1 wherein said means connecting saidauxiliary housing with said carriage for moving said housing for aselected distance includes vertical slot means in said stationary andauxiliary housings.

4. A system as stated in claim 1 wherein said drive means for saidcarriage includes drive belt means a gear means for said belt means; anda biased normally idle roll means bearing against said belt means andoperable upon failure of said belt means to lockingly interengage withsaid gear means to stop downward movement of the carriage.

5. An overhead equipment control construction for use in operatingfacilities including:

a stationary control housing carried by an overhead structure;

a column member vertically movable in said housing and having the lowerend portion adapted to support a plurality of surgical instruments andequipment;

an auxiliary control housing movable relative to the stationary controlhousing; and

means interconnecting said column member and said auxiliary housing fordownward and upward movement of said auxiliary housing at selectedvertical zones.

6. in an overhead equipment control system for use in surgical operatingrooms, the combination of:

a stationary control housing adapted to be suspended from an overheadstructure;

a vertically movable auxiliary housing associated with said stationaryhousing and adapted to support selected instrument control means;

a vertically movable column member carried within the stationary housingand adapted to support selected instruments;

means for moving said column member including: fixed guide means on saidstationary housing;

a carriage movable along said guide means and connected with said columnmember;

drive means for said carriage including a feed screw carried by saidstationary housing;

a normally nonrotatable nut engaging said feed screw and connected withsaid carriage;

motor means carried by the stationary housing for driving said feedscrew; and

means carried by said carriage and releaseably engageable with saidnormally nonrotatable nut in response to downward I pressure engagementof said column member with an object whereby said nut is releasable fromits normally nonrotatable condition for permitting said nut to freelyrotate to prevent further downward movement of said carriage and saidcolumn member.

7. in a system as stated in claim 6 wherein said releasably engageablemeans includes:

a resilient thrust member carried at one end of said nonrotatable nutand normally seated against a portion of said carriage; and

means at the opposite end of said nut, normally out of engagementtherewith, and adapted to be engaged by said nut when thrust loading atsaid one end of the nut reaches a preselected minimum force. 8. A systemas stated in claim 7 wherein said normally nonengageable means includesa bearing means supported on a portion of said carriage. v

9. An overhead equipment control construction for presenting equipmentand controls therefor at selected heights above a work or operatingarea, comprising in combination:

a stationary vertically disposed control housing adapted to be carriedby and depending from an overhead structure;

an adjustable vertically movable column member supported within saidhousing and having its lower end portion extending below said stationaryhousing and adapted to support means for carrying a plurality ofinstruments and equipment;

said stationary control housing including a vertically disposedstationary housing extension;

an auxiliary control housing reciprocally movable within said housingextension and adapted to be positioned at or below the lower end of saidstationary housing;

means interconnecting said auxiliary control housing with said columnmember for moving said auxiliary housing during movement of said columnmember; and

drive means within said stationary control housing for moving saidcolumn member.

10. In an equipment control construction as stated in claim 9 includingmeans connected with said column member and with said drive means andresponsive to axial pressure on said column member for rendering saiddrive means inoperable to continue to move said column member.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF connEcTloN- Pat t N 3,556,455 Da d January 19, 1971 Inve t Fred K. Storm et al It is certifiedthat error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that said LettersPatent is hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 63 I 7, 40,

ll 8 'I n 9 n Y 'J after "housing" insert -and said column membertogether-- after "at" insert --a-- delete "zones" and insert --zone andpermitting separated movement of said column member in another verticalzone-- Signed and sealed this 19th day of October 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. LETCHER,JR.

Attesting Offio ROBERT GOT'ISCHALK Acting Commissioner of Patent

1. In an overhead equipment control system for use in surgical operatingrooms, the combination of: a stationary control housing adapted to besuspended from an overhead structure; a vertically movable auxiliaryhousing alongside said stationary housing and adapted to supportselected instrument control means; a vertically movable column membercarried within the stationary housing and adapted to support selectedinstruments; means for moving said column member including fixed guidemeans on said stationary housing, a carriage movable along said guidemeans and connected with said column member; means releaseablyconnecting said auxiliary housing with said carriage for selectedrelative movement of said auxiliary housing with respect to saidstationary housing; drive means for said carriage including a feed screwcarried by said stationary housing; a normally nonrotatable nut engagingsaid feed screw and connected with said carriage; and motor meanscarried by the stationary housing for driving said feed screw.
 2. Asystem as stated in claim 1 including means between said verticallymovable auxiliary housing and said stationary housing for holding saidauxiliary housing in one position thereof in nonvibratable relationshipto said stationary housing.
 3. A system as stated in claim 1 whereinsaid means connecting said auxiliary housing with said carriage formoving said housing for a selected distance includes vertical slot meansin said stationary and auxiliary housings.
 4. A system as stated inclaim 1 wherein said drive means for said carriage includes drive beltmeans a gear means for said belt means; and a biased normally idle rollmeans bearing against said belt means and operable upon failure of saidbelt means to lockingly interengage with said gear means to stopdownward movement of the carriage.
 5. An overhead equipment controlconstruction for use in operating facilities including: a stationarycontrol housing carried by an overhead structure; a column membervertically movable in said housing and having the lower end portionadapted to support a plurality of surgical instruments and equipment; anauxiliary control housing movable relative to the stationary controlhousing; and means interconnecting said column member and said auxiliaryhousing for downward and upward movement of said auxiliary housing atselected vertical zones.
 6. In an overhead equipment control system foruse in surgical operating rooms, the combination of: a stationarycontrol housing adapted to be suspended from an overhead structure; avertically movable auxiliary housing associated with said stationaryhousing and adapted to support selected instrument control means; avertically movable column member carried within the stationary housingand adapted to support selected instruments; means for moving saidcolumn member including: fixed guide means on said stationary housing; acarriage movable along said guide means and connected with said columnmember; drive means for said carriage including a feed screw carried bysaid stationary housing; a normally nonrotatable nut engaging said feedscrew and connected with said carriage; motor means carried by thestationary housing for driving said feed screw; and means carried bysaid carriage and releaseably engageable with said normally nonrotatablenut in response to downward pressure engagement of said column memberwith an object whereby said nut is releasable from its normallynonrotatable condition for permitting said nut to freely rotate toprevent further downward movement of said carriage and said columnmember.
 7. In a system as stated in claim 6 wherein said releasablyengageable means includes: a resilient thrust member carried at one endof said nonrotatable nut and normally seated against a portion of saidcarriage; and means at the opposite end of said nut, normally out ofengageMent therewith, and adapted to be engaged by said nut when thrustloading at said one end of the nut reaches a preselected minimum force.8. A system as stated in claim 7 wherein said normally nonengageablemeans includes a bearing means supported on a portion of said carriage.9. An overhead equipment control construction for presenting equipmentand controls therefor at selected heights above a work or operatingarea, comprising in combination: a stationary vertically disposedcontrol housing adapted to be carried by and depending from an overheadstructure; an adjustable vertically movable column member supportedwithin said housing and having its lower end portion extending belowsaid stationary housing and adapted to support means for carrying aplurality of instruments and equipment; said stationary control housingincluding a vertically disposed stationary housing extension; anauxiliary control housing reciprocally movable within said housingextension and adapted to be positioned at or below the lower end of saidstationary housing; means interconnecting said auxiliary control housingwith said column member for moving said auxiliary housing duringmovement of said column member; and drive means within said stationarycontrol housing for moving said column member.
 10. In an equipmentcontrol construction as stated in claim 9 including means connected withsaid column member and with said drive means and responsive to axialpressure on said column member for rendering said drive means inoperableto continue to move said column member.